SILICEA TERRA

Silica. Pure Flint (SILICEA)

Imperfect assimilation and consequent defective nutrition. It goes further and produces neurasthenic states in consequence, and increased susceptibility to nervous stimuli and exaggerated reflexes. Diseases of bones, caries and necrosis. Silica can stimulate the organism to re-absorb fibrotic conditions and scar-tissue. In phthisis must be used with care, for here it may cause the absorption of scar-tissue, liberate the disease, walled in, to new activities (J. Weir). Organic changes; it is deep and slow in action. Periodical states; abscesses, quinsy, headaches, spasms, epilepsy, feeling of coldness before an attack. Keloid growth. Scrofulous, rachitic children, with large head open fontanelles and sutures, distended abdomen, slow in walking. Ill effects of vaccination. Suppurative processes. It is related to all fistulous burrowings. Ripens abscesses since it promotes suppuration. Silica patient is cold, chilly, hugs the fire, wants plenty warm clothing, hates drafts, hands and feet cold, worse in winter. Lack of vital heat. Prostration of mind and body. Great sensitiveness to taking cold. Intolerance of alcoholic stimulants. Ailments attended with pus formation. Epilepsy. Want of grit, moral or physical.

Head.--Aches from fasting. Vertigo from looking up; better, wrapping up warmly; when lying on left side (Magnes mur; Strontia). Profuse sweat of head, offensive, and extends to neck. Pain begins at occiput, and spreads over head and settles over eyes. Swelling in the glabella.

Eyes.--Angles of eyes affected. Swelling of lachrymal duct. Aversion to light, especially daylight; it produces dazzling, sharp pain through eyes; eyes tender to touch; worse when closed. Vision confused; letters run together on reading. Styes. Iritis and irido-choroiditis, with pus in anterior chamber. Perforating or sloughing ulcer of cornea. Abscess in cornea after traumatic injury. Cataract in office workers. After-effects of keratitis and ulcus cornae, clearing the opacity. Use 30th potency for months.

Rectum.--Feels paralyzed. Fistula in ano (Berb; Lach). Fissures and haemorrhoids, painful, with spasm of sphincter. Stool comes down with difficulty; when partly expelled, recedes again. Great straining; rectum stings; closes upon stool. Feces remain a long time in rectum. Constipation always before and during menses; with irritable sphincter ani. Diarrhoea of cadaverous odor.

Urinary.--Bloody, involuntary, with red or yellow sediment. Prostatic fluid discharged when straining at stool. Nocturnal enuresis in children with worms.

Respiratory.--Colds fail to yield; sputum persistently muco-purulent and profuse. Slow recovery after pneumonia. Cough and sore throat, with expectoration of little granules like shot, which, when broken, smell very offensive. Cough with expectoration in day, bloody or purulent. Stitches in chest through to back. Violent cough when lying down, with thick, yellow lumpy expectoration; suppurative stage of expectoration (Bals. Peru).

Back.--Weak spine; very susceptible to draughts on back. Pain in coccyx. Spinal irritation after injuries to spine; diseases of bones of spine. Potts' disease.

Sleep.--Night-walking; gets up while asleep. Sleeplessness, with great orgasm of blood and heat in head. Frequent starts in sleep. Anxious dreams. Excessive gaping.

Extremities.--Sciatica, pains through hips, legs and feet. Cramp in calves and soles. Loss of power in legs. Tremulous hands when using them. Paralytic weakness of forearm. Affections of finger nails, especially if white spots on nails. Ingrowing toe-nails. Icy cold and sweaty feet. The parts lain on go to sleep. Offensive sweat on feet, hands, and axillae. Sensation in tips of fingers, as if suppurating. Panaritium. Pain in knee, as if tightly bound. Calves tense and contracted. Pain beneath toes. Soles sore (Ruta). Soreness in feet from instep through to the sole. Suppurates.